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The Oak Park Book Bike

Where should we go in 2018?

It's no secret, Oak Park's Paperback Rider has covered many long and winding roads around town! Take a look at where the bike has been (posted on the Main Library Idea Box windows all January), and share your thoughts on where we should bring mobile library services in our fourth season, to run April through October.

Why have a Book Bike

“The Book Bike gives us the freedom and flexibility to take our library professionals, services, and resources ‘to the streets,’ increasing our reach and visibility out in the community,” said Neighborhood Services Librarian Sarah Yale. “By meeting residents where they are—whether it’s the Farmers Market, senior center, or community event—we make authentic human connections and engage with people in new and traditional ways. “It's a fun, personal, ecologically friendly tool for connecting with us, for regular users and for those who’ve had barriers to visiting,” said Yale. “From storytimes to mobile checkouts and reference services, the Book Bike brings the library to you.”

What the Book Bike delivers

Access to materials: Library staff who have been trained to safely operate the bike pedal it to scheduled community events and outreach locations. For each appearance, the bike’s cargo hold is stocked with relevant materials—cookbooks and gardening manuals at the Farmers’ Market, for example, and children’s books at daycare storytimes. Visitors can learn about library services and programs, use their library card to check out materials, and apply for a library card. The Book Bike cannot accept returns or paid fines.

Small business stories: The idea was to turn outward and amplify voices from the community. To start, we intentionally reached out to local small businesses in areas not in downtown Oak Park and the Hemingway District. Read more >

Braille books: For one block party visit in 2016, an Oak Park family requested that Braille books be included for their young son, who is visually impaired. “Having Braille books would enable him to be included in this fun event with our neighbors,” the resident wrote. Happily, Neighborhood Services Librarian Sarah Yale was able to stock the bike with Braille books, including one on trains and buses—the boy's favorites—and the family checked out every one. “This is a big part of what the Book Bike is all about," she added. "Breaking down barriers to access, getting books in people’s hands, providing opportunities for learning, highlighting our diverse collections, and being a good steward and listener so we can discover what needs exist in the community.”

Book Bike origins

The bike, crafted by Haley Tricycles in Philadelphia and shipped to Oak Park in April 2015, was funded by generous donations to the library’s Fallon Family Fund, a dedicated fund established to help the library deliver cutting-edge projects and resources for all of our community’s children. The original idea, which libraries in other cities like Seattle also have adopted, was developed by Chicagoan Gabriel Levinson in 2008. For years, Levinson rode his custom-built book bike around Chicago parks, handing out free books. Affectionately nicknamed "Paperback Rider" in a community-driven naming campaign, the three-wheeled mobile library has been delivering resources and good cheer throughout the area, improving access to materials since the spring of 2015.